Hosted and run by Abertay University, hundreds of students every year apply to Dare to be Digital to build a working game prototype in just eight weeks. An expert panel picks 15 teams of five students to take part in the contest.

The games then go on show to the public and to industry experts in Dundee in August, with three winning teams picked to compete for the BAFTA Ones to Watch Award.

Previous Dare to be Digital winners include Sophia George, who is currently the V&A’s first ever Game Designer in Residence and presented this year’s BAFTA Ones to Watch Award to Studio DOS.

Sophia George, V&A Game Designer in Residence, said: “Any student who wants to be a professional game developer should apply for Dare to be Digital.

“It was a life-changing opportunity for me, giving me the space to learn an incredible amount during the competition at Abertay University, even before I went on to win the BAFTA Ones to Watch Award.

“The opportunity to spend eight weeks building your own game, being mentored by industry professionals, then getting feedback from thousands of members of the public simply can’t be missed.”

Professor Louis Natanson, who leads computer games education at Abertay University, said: “Dare to be Digital is a very exciting opportunity for students of game art, audio, design and programming. To spend eight weeks building your own game, working with professional mentors, is a huge learning curve.

“Every year we see Dare to be Digital students being hired by major companies during the contest, or pulling together plans to launch their own companies. It’s a very exciting competition and we look forward to receiving many more applications.”

Individuals wanting to apply – and teams needing extra members – can contact other applicants through the Dare to be Digital website.

Dare to be Digital is a video game development competition for undergraduates at universities and colleges of art, hosted and run by Abertay University in Dundee.

Teams of student programmers and artists compete in an intensive 'hot-house' development environment over the summer vacation, building fully-functioning prototypes for assessment by industry judges and a public vote at Dare ProtoPlay in Dundee, 7-10 August 2014.

The three winning teams from Dare to be Digital each year become the sole nominees for the BAFTA Ones to Watch Award.

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